Incandescence
by Sakintho
Summary: In a land of soldiers and magic, a young girl wants nothing more than to be accepted by the city she's grown up in, and to become the strongest of her peers. But there is more to the girl than she realizes, a monster sealed within her that has the power to change the world entirely... (This is a fantasy AU rewrite of Naruto. Simple as that.)
1. Foreword

**(Small update: Originally I had made more Europeanized names for the story. It was pointed out to me that it would make the story seem less 'original' to keep the Japanese names, thus they have been changed back to normal. Sorry for any confusion for those who read the original draft!)**

* * *

This is a Naruto A.U. This is a piece of work meant to rewrite the story of Naruto in a medieval fantasy universe, taken on as a challenge given to me with in intent on hopefully bettering aspects of Naruto that were present, but never expanded upon. As shall always go on record, the original content of Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimito alone; I am merely developing my own take on it.

Though you can dive right into the story, I thought it would be wise to put together a small F.A.Q. to answer immediate questions I am sure people might have on the subject. If there are any more questions on the matter, feel free to message me directly, though it is my hope that everything is direct enough that this will not be an issue.

**Tell me again, what kind of alternate universe is this?**

This is a medieval fantasy universe. This is not a world of ninjas, this is a world of blades and magic. Chakra is replaced with magical potential, and the worlds and countries have been colored up in the style of a fantasy tale.

**No ninjas?**

No ninjas. This was a stipulation of the original challenge given to me, and the fantasy aspect was (quite frankly) inspired by Kishimoto himself. (At some chapter he did a cover art of a fantasy universe, and it began to make me wonder…)

**Wait a minute, is Naruto a girl?**

Yes. I have chosen to portray Naruto as female for this work.

**Did you do this for shipping?**

No. I did not do this for shipping. Naruto as a female character was partially an effort to address the subtle sexism of the original show and give female characters a more front row seat. This was also partially due to the fact that I find Naruto a much more interesting character as a female.

**Is there gonna be a ship of _x_?**

That's classified information.

**What's the answer to life, the universe, and everything?**

Adams was wrong. It's not forty two. He forgot to carry a three, it's actually forty six.

I plan to try to update frequently. I have a lot of things planned, and I sincerely hope you enjoy what I've put together. Thank you, dear reader, for your time and commitment.


	2. Naomi

_Oh child, what do you know of war and violence? Do you not know where your parents went, all those years ago? Sit down, be still, and I shall tell you the truth of the matter._

_Fourteen years ago our peaceful city Hearthgrove was besieged by a great and powerful beast, the most terrifying and strongest of the ancient dragons, Novum. The dragon spewed fire from nine heads, and with great wings beat down hurricanes upon the forests. For days the brave militia of our city did battle with the monster, and many died…so many were taken. Do you understand now, where your parents are gone to? They died to save you from fiery demise._

_But lo, for every foul creature that walks this earth comes a champion, and from the depths of our city rose the fourth honorably appointed Lord and Commander, a golden king in his prime to cut down the beast. There are some that say he killed the dragon, and with a blinding strike of his sword smote Novum away into ash and dust._

_There are other stories, child. Some say the dragon could not be defeated, not by mortal hands, and that instead the Fourth was forced to seal away the beast using an ancient and mysterious magic. It is said that Novum was sealed away into the body of an infant child, where its power could no longer touch our village, though it might one day still overcome its host and rise again to threaten us. Do you believe the stories child?_

_No, I thought not. Such tales are for scaring young ones. After all, how could we ever allow a beast to live among us?_

* * *

A soft wind moved through the tall trees of the city, and the silence was broken by the sound of a young girl running from enraged pursuers.

They were quick, but the girl knew she was quicker. She had always felt an unnatural strength of body, one that she flaunted as she leapt over high bushes and effortlessly broke through low branches. A loud laugh escaped her lips as she fled, fueling her energy.

"You're never going to catch me at this rate!"

She heard shouts of protest from the men behind her, but they began to grow fainter and fainter. After another minute of sprinting, she found what she was looking for: a large tree, spiraling up beyond the forest canopy. It was one of the oldest trees in these woods, and she had long been familiar with it. She leapt up, unnaturally high, and grabbed on to its lowest branch with ease. From there, it was a simple climb, one she had made hundreds of times before. She allowed herself to get about halfway up before stopping, resting on a thick branch that obscured view of her from below. She took a deep breath to compose herself, then watched down below with excited eyes.

The men pursuing her jogged past the tree quickly, not even stopped to give her tree a passing glance.

The girl was quiet for a moment longer, but couldn't suppress a victorious giggle. Time and time again, these men would try to catch up with her, and time and time again she'd leave them in the dust. In all of the city there was only one person who'd ever managed to catch her, and that was-

There was a loud 'thump', and the branch shook as a man landed in front of her, causing her to scramble backwards until she realized who it was. Damn, she'd hoped to hide up here for a little while longer.

"Hullo, sir."

"Don't you 'sir' me, young lady. Do you know how much trouble you're in?" The man stood tall and imposing in front of her, but she could still see a bit of softness in his eyes, and she let out a small breath of relief. He wasn't angry, this time. She could never tell when he would be, but at the very least he'd get the militia off her back.

"At least two of those tapestries could be considered antiques, Naomi!" It was time for the lecture, and she bowed her head as the man began to berate her. "They're the only known recorded images we have of the first and second Commanders, they're not there for you to deface them as you please!"

"That powder will come right off and you know it." Naomi protested. "It wasn't meant to stick for more than an hour."

"That's beside the point! What would come over you to even think of defacing them, hm?" The man crossed his arms, frowning. "Those Commanders have protected our city for decades, founded it even! The paths you run on are only here because of the strength and initiative of these leaders. You are…you are alive because of their sacrifices, and this is how you repay them? By scribbling obscene marks all over their faces?"

"Yup." There was no point in lying her way around it, Iruka always knew when she was bluffing. Still, she kept her head low and her eyes towards the branch below her. Submission would earn her sympathy.

"You're going to be cleaning up the mess you've made, understand? And then you're going to be scrubbing floors until your fingers bleed." She felt a strong hand grasp her arm and hoist her up onto her feet. Her blue eyes met his, and she felt a pang of guilt pass through her. A pang she quickly ignored.

"Do you understand me, Naomi?"

"Yes, sir." She turned, stepping off of the branch and falling to the ground below. At the last moment she concentrated and a gust of wind coiled beneath her, slowing her fall to a soft impact. She shoved her hands into her pockets and began to walk down the dirt path back to the main part of the city. She heard another thud as Iruka landed on the ground behind her, and she could feel his reprimanding glare on her back as they walked.

The castle tapestries cleaned easily, but the floors were covered in months of dirt and filth. Naomi felt her back begin to ache as she bent over the scrubbing brush, having pushed for hours already. In a chair in the corner, Iruka kept watchful eye. "Three more hallways." He told her. "You'd best move quickly if you want to get home before nightfall."

"What does it matter?" Naomi replied bitterly, nudging roughly against a bad spot on the floor. "I don't have anyone waiting for me."

She heard a soft sigh escape Iruka's lips but did not look up, the anger still fresh within her. But as she moved further down the hallway, Iruka spoke up again.

"If you finish quick enough, I'll take you out to dinner afterwards. My treat."

The anger left Naomi and she grinned, motivated by the prospect of food.

* * *

Taron's tavern was a rowdy place frequented by the militia. Naomi had been brought here by Iruka more times than she could remember, always having the same lamb and potatoes that she had tried on her first visit. The two sat in a back table, one of the more quiet areas, and Naomi dug into her meal with earnest. Iruka smiled as he watched her, eating his meal much slower. He was angry at the girl, yes, but in the end no matter how many times she screwed around the city, she always dutifully cleaned her messes without fuss, which was more than he could say for the other kids her age around the city. Of course, as a Knight he only focused on the potential candidates for the city's army, but in these days that meant a fairly large bunch.

He saw most of them during the morning, when the communal teachings began. Any child in the city could come to learn to read, write, and comprehend; those with magical potential were expected to if they were to do well in the army. At first Naomi had gone quite religiously, showing up before class and staying late to learn as much as she could from the old priest. But as time passed, she had slowly stayed less and less, some days skipping class entirely to pull off one of her infamous pranks. Though many in the city questioned Naomi's nature, Iruka, to an extent, understood it. Naomi was an outcast among her peers, and looked down upon by her superiors. On top of her orphaned nature, the girl no doubt felt alienated, isolated…this behavior was an attempt to garner attention for herself, it didn't matter what kind of attention. When adults ran after her, they were focused on her, even for a moment.

And in that moment, Iruka knew she didn't feel alone anymore.

She was about halfway through her meal now, giggling happily to herself after every bite. In this tavern was one of the few times Iruka had seen her truly happy. He felt guilty, knowing what he'd brought her to talk about would likely dampen her spirits. He forced himself back to his meal, taking a couple of bites before finally speaking up.

"So ditching school for art, hm?"

Naomi looked up, her mouth half full as she contemplated the question. She swallowed and began picking at her food with her fork. "Classes are boring. For my age group anyway. All the old man ever talks about is the past and I'm sick of it."

"Is that why you scribbled obscene marks all over the castle tapestries, Naomi? You're sick of the past?" Iruka took a deep drink, hoping Naomi was in a talking mood today. This talk, at the very least, had been a long time coming.

"I just feel like it's stupid to always dwell on the past. If you get hung up on how great everything and everyone was back then, how are you going to make things even better in the future?" Naomi pointed her fork in Iruka's direction, determined. "Those Commanders? They're nothing. At least, they're going to be nothing once I become Commander. I'm going to be so strong and so incredible that I'll leave all those old Commanders in the dust. Even the fourth Commander, you'd better believe it!"

Iruka chuckled to himself a little, though a pit began to sink in his stomach. The poor girl just wanted the city to acknowledge her…and now he had to be the bearer of bad news. "You're still set on joining the military?"

"Of course! Just another month and I can finally sign up." Naomi was still grinning, and Iruka sighed as he put down his fork.

"Look, Naomi…about that."

She looked up, confused, and Iruka forced himself to continue. "Naomi, the Commander is concerned about your behavior in the city these past couple of years. He doesn't think you're responsible enough to be in his army."

She had frozen in place, speechless. Iruka didn't want to keep speaking, but he knew he had to. "He's not…banning you outright, I told him that wouldn't be smart. He wants to put you on a one year probationary period, if you can keep your nose clean until then he'll consider accepting y-" He was interrupted as Naomi stood up suddenly, tears in her eyes.

"You're not serious."

"…I'm sorry, Naomi, but that's the ultimatum he gave. Look, it's not as bad as you think, we can work on-"

"I hate you." Her voice was small, timid almost, and her body had begun to shake. Iruka tried to speak again, but she interrupted him once more. "I hate you, Iruka."

She left the table and ran from the tavern. Iruka didn't try to stop her.

* * *

It was raining hard, but Naomi couldn't bring herself to go to her home for shelter. Iruka could find her there, and she wasn't ready to face him again, not in this state. So she climbed a tree. Not the big one, no, that was too obvious, but a big enough tree on the outskirts of the city, one that she went up to hide away from the rest of the world.

For a while the rain fell hard enough through the branches that she convinced herself she wasn't crying.

She sat in the tree for some time, long enough that the rain eventually passed and the moon began to show in the sky. Her eyes began to dry and itch, but her anger did not soften. She had simply run out of tears to give. Instead she stared up at the night through the tree branches and tried to calm herself down. Perhaps, she thought, she could run away to another city, somewhere where the people wouldn't look at her strangely, where she could join an army without prejudice and grow into the position she knew she was born to uptake. The cities were quite a journey away, but if it was worth a trip…

She heard rustling on the ground below her, and she peeked down to see who it was.

A hooded figure, whose face she could not identify, stood below her. They had stopped, and Naomi knew instinctively that they had noticed her in the tree. A traveler, perhaps? She'd never seen a cloak like that in the city before, but it could have easily slipped her notice. Her hand moved towards the dagger in her boot defensively, and she gripped the edge of the handle as she heard the figure chuckle.

"I'm not here to hurt. I'm just wondering what a young girl is doing crying in a tree."

Naomi sniffled angrily, her hand moving away from her boot. "None of your business."

"Oh, of course it isn't. But everyone needs someone to talk to, do they not? Perhaps it will set your mind at ease." The figure removed their hood, revealing a silver-haired man with a pleasant smile that put Naomi at ease. She let herself relax; he clearly looked to be a passing traveler, nothing to worry about.

"I'm just mad because the Commander won't accept me into his army, that's all." She admitted, leaning back against the tree trunk and frowning. "I'm not _good_ enough for him."

"Well, _that's_ nonsense." The man insisted. "I can see magical potential quite well, and I can tell you have the talent for the business. Perhaps the Commander has yet to see what I can?"

"Don't know how I can show him, other than doing what he says and _waiting_ a year." Naomi complained. "He thinks I need to learn responsibility for the village, but it's bullshit. Nobody in the city's ever thought me more than just a nuisance. I should probably just…give up and try somewhere else."

"I wouldn't say that just yet. There's one more thing you could try…well, a rumor I hear when passing through the city." The man's voice softened to a whisper, and Naomi had to strain to hear it. "They say in the castle library there's a secret section with a powerful book of spells. And they say if you can learn just one spell from the book, it means you have to be a _very_ powerful magic wielder. The Commander would have to recognize your talent then."

"Really?" Naomi's eyes lit up. She could break into the castle easy, and she'd walked past the library many times before. "Did they say where the secret room is?"

"No…but I'm sure an intelligent girl like you could find it easily." The man insisted, his smile growing. "Why don't you try looking for it before you give up? I'd hate to see your talent go to waste elsewhere."

"I'll do it, I'll definitely do it!" She leapt down from the tree, enthusiasm having returned to her. "Thanks for the tip, sir, just wait! You'll see me as a squire in the army next month!"

"I am certainly rooting for you." The man watched as Naomi ran off down the dirt road, his smile becoming more twisted. "Don't let me down, little dragon…"

* * *

Iruka dreamed of fire and claws.

He had been young when the nine-headed beast Novum attacked the city, but not young enough to forget the tragedy of the day. He remembered pleading his parents not to fight the dragon, and he remembered running after them, screaming.

He remembered being told the news the next morning, the news that changed his life forever, that he was an orphan now, alone, isolated…

Iruka woke with a start, a rapid banging sounding on his door. He groaned, rubbing his eyes and looking around. It was still pitch black, and he could hear the quiet chirping of night crickets outside his window. "What is it, what?" He called out angrily.

"It's Kakashi. Iruka, you need to wake up and get dressed. Naomi's in trouble."

"Naomi?" Iruka immediately snapped awake, quickly pulling himself out of bed. Had she done something rash in her anger? He put on some clothes and his pauldrons, marked with the symbol of the city as was the norm, and opened the door to Kakashi. "What happened to her?"

"She broke into the castle." Kakashi admitted, his single eye showing worry on a normally composed face. "She went to the library and found the sealed book."

"_That_ book?" Iruka went pale with the thought. "But if she reads the wrong thing on there, she could…"

"Unleash a hell of a night." Kakashi finished the sentence, turning to leave. Iruka followed. "Look, the Commander's summoning all the Knights to search for her. If we're lucky it hasn't been long since she ran off with it and we can get to her before she does anything stupid." He paused, sighing. "I know you've been vouching for her to join the army, Iruka, but this is going to be the last straw. The Commander isn't going to stand for her stealing this."

"I…I know." Iruka admitted. "I just…hope there's a good reason for all of this."

* * *

The forested city boundaries were always where Naomi loved to hide, so Iruka went there first to look. She wouldn't have gone far, and a part of Iruka just knew that she wouldn't have left the city, not yet. He believed in her innocence, and to what end he did not know, but _someone_ had to believe in her and he had sworn to himself a long time ago that it would be him. She and him were the same, after all, and the best gift he could ever give her was making sure she wasn't alone.

It didn't take him very long before he heard a chanting in the distant, coming from a familiar voice. He followed the sound, and the words became clear to him as he grew closer.

"**Duplicata facit se**…**duplicata facit se**…."

The girl was repeating an incantation, but it was one that Iruka recognized: a duplicating spell, one that would create a corporeal clone of the caster that could be controlled to carry out complex tasks. It was an advanced spell, one he'd only ever heard of in his Knighthood, and that very few could pull off successfully.

She was…learning a spell?

He quietly climbed trees and spotted her on a thick branched oak, taking heavy breaths. She had been training for a while, by the look of things, and the stolen book lay at her feet open to a single page.

Iruka stepped forward across the branches, revealing himself to Naomi. "Just what do you think you're doing, young lady?"

"Iruka!" Naomi did not run…and was that not what a criminal would do, run? But Naomi stayed, and even looked glad to see him. "Just look at what I've been working on! The Commander will have to take me if I show him I've figured out this spell, right? He's going to be all sorts of impressed!"

"You've been training here all night, have you?" Iruka asked casually, watching as Naomi picked up the book again and brushed it off. "The Corporeal Clone Spell?"

"Is that what it's called? Some of these words I've never learned how to read before, _this_ is the stuff we should be learning from the old priest." She peered at the book page, speaking out the words in the title. "Cor…por…real…what does that mean?"

"It means bodily, of the flesh. Implying a solid clone instead of an illusion spell. It's…very advanced magic, yes. But Naomi, where did you find out about this book?"

"A traveler on the road told me!" Naomi replied, grinning. "He's the one who said if I could master one of these spells I could become a squire, and he told me to look for a secret chamber where this book was. Wasn't very hard to find if you ask me."

"A traveler…" Iruka thought, and the facts began putting themselves together. Subtly, he channeled his magical energy to feel the air around him. Naomi's energy was…nonexistent. Normally, being so young, her aura was hard to pick out anyway, but it was clear that she had drained herself training. However, there was another force in the area…hiding, but close, and Iruka could sense it.

Someone else was watching them. Someone who wanted the book Naomi held.

"Naomi I need you to do me a favor. I need you to take the book and run back to the castle."

"W-what, why? I'm still practicing?" Naomi was confused, and Iruka cursed aloud, pointing towards the road.

"Naomi, don't question me, just run as fast as you can!"

"But-" She made to speak, but she was cut off by something from behind them, something that caused her shock and alarm. Iruka couldn't turn in time to see, but the pain that suddenly appeared in his back was enough to alert him as to what happened. The mysterious man had fired.

There was now a two foot arrow sticking out of his back.

He struggled to balance on the branch, almost falling as he reeled with the pain. It hadn't damaged his spine, but it had dug in enough to pierce his internal organs, and that was going to be a problem. He turned around and spread his arms, shielding Naomi from future shots.

For the moment, however, it proved unnecessary. The man came out of the shadows, balancing adeptly on a small branch about twenty feet away. The silver hair and chiseled jaw were familiar to Iruka, but it took a moment before he recognized him.

"Mizuki…" A Knight in the Commander's Army…Iruka had worked with him once or twice. He was sworn to the service of their Commander, of course, and being a Knight would have known about the protected book…"You used Naomi to get to the book."

"What?" Naomi spoke out from behind him. "You know this guy?"

"Correct. Though, I never planned on using it myself. I was hoping the girl might have read the book a bit more, found some more... interesting spells to attempt."

"Bastard." Iruka had already deduced what he meant. "You want her to use the unsealing spell."

"Also correct." The man, Mizuki, grinned deeply. "You know, I'd have thought after the Novum incident that this city would have been much better protected, her included. It was only too easy for me to slip in…and it'll be only too easy for me to unseal her and start another beautiful disaster in this pitiful excuse for a village."

"You're a spy for someone else…" Assuming they lived, Iruka would have to bring this up with the Commander. Beneath their very nose… "I obviously won't live to tell the tale, and Naomi won't be conscious enough to stop you."

"Iruka, what is he talking about?" Naomi's voice was shaking now, and she was clutching the book to herself tightly. "What was the Novum incident?"

"They never told you about it." Mizuki spoke up before Iruka could, pointing his bow towards him to prevent him from interrupting. "It's only natural they wouldn't have, it was a decree from the Commander himself that nobody _ever_ talk about the incident to you, or anyone else born after it happened. The city was sworn to secrecy…but you've seen hints of it all your life. Why was it that most of the city seemed to ignore you or hate you? Why was it the children your age all treated you like an outcast…well, it was a learned trait for them, seeing that their parents did it too. And who could blame them?" The man leaned forward, his smile becoming much more twisted. "After all, fourteen years ago you threaten to destroy their beloved city completely."

"W-what?" Naomi stammered, shaking her head. "I-I wasn't even alive then, I couldn't have-"

"Don't you tell her." Iruka warned, which only caused Mizuki to laugh.

"The Novum incident, dearest Naomi, was when a giant, nine-headed dragon laid siege to our city, a monstrous Hydra that all of our most talented Knights could not hope to defeat. It was to end this monster that our mysterious Fourth Commander sacrificed his life…and it was inside you that he sealed the dragon's immortal soul, so that it would never again threaten our city. The incident that you were never told about…it is what reveals your true nature. You are the Hydra that slaughtered half the city, that burned down surrounding forests and laid waste to mountainsides…you are the monster himself, Novum, incarnate in human flesh!"

"Y-you're wrong!" Naomi screamed out suddenly, backing up against the tree branch. "You're completely wrong, that's bullshit!"

"Believe it or not, it's the truth." Mizuki straightened himself up again, pointing an arrow back at Iruka. "I had hoped you would accidentally unseal the monster's power using that book, but I'm afraid I shall have to be doing that for you. After I eliminate this troublesome mess over here, that is."

"Naomi, run." Iruka hissed, looking back at here. "Get out of here. Run."

"I-I'm not a monster." Naomi whispered, shaking her head. "I'm not."

Mizuki let go of his bowstring, firing another arrow. Iruka screamed once more, "Naomi, _run_!", as the arrow barreled towards the both of them.

The girl leaped away from the tree, and the second arrow imbedded itself in Iruka's shoulder. He fell from the tree, landing harshly on his unwounded shoulder and crying out in pain. Now, however, was not the time to dwell on injuries. Naomi had fled, and Mizuki would be pursuing her once he was done. He had to protect her.

Iruka ran.

* * *

Naomi had never escaped in the dark before, and even her innate agility could not prevent her from crashing through branches, and nearly tripping on the gnarled roots that littered the ground. It didn't take long before her legs couldn't carry her further, and when she next hit a large root she slid across the ground, nearly dropping the large book in the process. Tears filled her eyes as she struggled to climb to her feet again.

She was a monster. A dragon.

Everything made sense.

Why the city had always overlooked her, or seemingly hated her. Why the Commander would never let her join the military (who'd want a monster in the ranks, a monster that had supposedly slaughtered half of their troops over a decade ago?). Why she had always felt so much _stronger_ and _faster_ than everyone else…it was the dragon's power flowing through her.

It was the inevitable truth, and now Naomi knew this.

She saw movement in the trees beyond, and caught a glimpse of something…herself? Something that looked like her. She scrambled to hide behind a tree, sliding to the ground again in exhaustion. She heard the sound of an arrow thudding into a tree, and she winced.

"Ah, an illusion, Iruka. Clever, I forgot those were your specialty."

So it had been Iruka disguised as her. She was still safe, for the moment. Naomi took a silent breath, attempting to compose herself. She had to run, she had to get away…

"You won't stop me from getting to her, you know. All the other Knights are far away in other parts of the city, you were the only one to find her here. You'll be dead quickly, and Naomi will simply be…answering to her true nature." She heard a chuckle and closed her eyes, swallowing hard. "Naomi's a monster through and through, you saw it in her eyes. She hates the village…she hates what it's done to her, she hates that it's stolen her dream. Quite frankly, I think she'll be glad to take her revenge on it, help me get what I want in return for helping her release her power. It's exactly what the dragon would want, after all…"

And perhaps the man was right. Naomi still felt bitter towards her village, towards Iruka and the Commander…why had they done this to her? Why her, of all people? It wasn't fair, it wasn't right…and she had known, even earlier today, she'd never be a part of the city.

Who would accept a monster?

"She's not a dragon."

Naomi's breath caught in her throat, and the whole forest seemed to fall silent.

"She's not a dragon." Iruka repeated, his voice hitching as he spoke. "She's…Naomi. I've seen her grow since she was a small child and I but a squire…I saw her learn reading and writing with more gusto than anyone her age. I saw her using magic instinctively before some kids even understood what magic was. I've seen a girl with incredible ambition constantly striving to strengthen herself, constantly seeking what was denied to her even though she should have given up long ago. I've seen a talented young lady who is more than fit to be a Soldier to this village. She's Naomi. And she is, undoubtedly, human."

Naomi heard laughter, and Mizuki said something that she couldn't pick out. It didn't matter now what that man said…none of it mattered.

"I'll kill you now, Naomi can't be too far. She was exhausted after that training." Mizuki was already notching another arrow, now Naomi could see it from here. She could feel her anger rising within her, a powerful hatred.

This man was going to kill the only person who'd ever believed in her, who'd ever seen her when everyone else looked away. This man was going to take away the one thing she loved.

She wouldn't let him.

"Say good night, little Knight. And know that your city is soon to follow." The bowstring was drawn back, and Naomi felt herself move forward.

Time seemed to slow down. The arrow fired, but she was there long before it reached its target. She plucked it out of the air with determination, skidding to a halt in front of Iruka. She saw disbelief grow across Mizuki' face, and her emotions only grew.

"Don't you fucking touch him ever again." She snapped the arrow in half with her fingers, and dropped the book to the ground at Iruka's feet. Her skin felt hot, blazing hot, like a fire was moving across her entire body. She watched as Mizuki took a step back, attempting to draw another arrow.

"Now, now, Naomi, we have the same goals here-"

"I am nothing like you." Naomi took a stance, preparing herself. "I won't let you hurt this city. And if you even try to hurt Sir Iruka ever again, I'll fucking kill you."

Mizuki notched his bow, and Naomi knew he would not stop. Her hands quickly moved into fluid gestures, and she said the incantation aloud.

"**Duplicata facit se**!"

She felt her magic surge, and not one, but eight clones appeared around her, fully formed and fully connected to her. Without a second thought she moved them forward, stopping Mizuki before he could fire another arrow. The eight pinned the man down across a tree trunk by his arms and legs, and Naomi moved in front of him, cracking her knuckles.

"And for the record, you're right." She spoke, her voice carrying a deep growl. "You touch someone dear to me, and I'll be the worst monster you've ever faced."

She punched until her knuckles bled and she couldn't make a fist anymore.

* * *

Iruka winced as his side was healed. Though magic could help most major wounds, the accelerated healing was never a comfortable experience.

Across the room sat Naomi, her hands bandaged and her head bowed towards the floor. The book she had stolen had been returned to its rightful place, and the Commander had called back the Knights out searching for her. Mizuki had been imprisoned, and for the moment, at least, things were at peace.

The Commander was standing in the room, facing Iruka as he was healed. He had barely looked at Naomi as he'd entered the cleric temple, and Iruka feared the worst for the girl. She had, after all, stolen a powerful artifact for the castle.

"I've been thinking about what your mentor has told me, Naomi." The Commander spoke, his wizened voice still carrying weight in the small room. "And I have been thinking about many things that have been done to keep this city safe from the dragon sealed inside you."

"I understand, sir. You don't want me in your army because of what I am…and how I act." Naomi spoke up, out of turn, but the Commander did not stop her. "I have done many irresponsible things and have made you question the dragon's influence on me, and you can't allow that in your army. I understand, but…" She looked up, tears streaming from her eyes as she spoke. "Can you…please let me live in the city? I-I promise I won't hurt anyone…I know that nobody here really likes me being here but…this is the only place I have a friend."

"I'm not forcing you to leave the city, Naomi." The Commander replied. Iruka could feel relief spread through his body. "Nor, I've decided, will I continue to tread around you with such caution. If you had been more educated about your nature, this…incident, tonight, could have been easily avoided. If you had been trained, then you could have defended yourself from those who'd seek to manipulate you and abuse your power. I have been going about this wrong…and for that I apologize." The Commander suddenly bowed to Naomi; a short bow, but it was a bow nonetheless. "I hope…you can forgive my prejudice, for I too was blinded by my hatred of the dragon. But as Iruka has told me, you are not the dragon…merely a vessel. And you can learn to control the dragon with guidance, should you choose to accept a position in my military."

Naomi's eyes widened, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Y-yes, yes, I accept!"

"Good." The Commander straightened up and gave her a smile. "I expect to see you training next month then, and I expect you to work hard. You still have much to learn about responsibility and power, especially if you want to succeed me one day. I'll be expecting many things from you, Ms. Naomi."

"I won't disappoint you, you'll see." Naomi stood, giving the Commander a deep bow. "I'll be worthy of the chance you've given me, you'd better believe it."

"Then I shall take my leave for the night. And for goodness sake, Naomi, if you're going to draw a moustache on my tapestries, at least make them decent." The older man chuckled as he left the room, leaving a very confused Naomi and Iruka behind.

* * *

"Naomi, don't leave just yet."

Naomi stopped midstride, looking back towards the bed that Iruka was resting on. "What is it?" She asked, walking over to his side.

"Just…something I wanted to give you, to celebrate your acceptance. Beneath the bed…grab my pauldrons, will you?"

Naomi did just that, pulling the shoulder guards out and lifting them to Iruka. He shook his head. "No, I want you to put them on. Go on, do it." She obliged, balancing the pauldrons on her shoulders and tightening them on with the belts between them. They were still a bit big, but fit.

"The symbols on the pauldrons represent our city." Iruka told her, reaching up to trace the 'leaf' symbol on the metal. "We are the City Within the Forest, hidden in a thousand leaves. When you wear these pauldrons, you swear yourself to this city and its protection. Do you understand?"

"I understand." Naomi nodded.

"Now straighten your posture." Iruka directed. "Chin up, chest out, back straight. Hold your right hand on your heart, as a fist…a proper salute." Naomi did as instructed, and Iruka smiled. "Good. You're a real military woman now, soon to be a Squire. You won't let me down right?"

"No, sir." Naomi shook her head. "I won't let you down ever again."

"Good. Now, once I'm up and walking again, I'll need to take you out to dinner to celebrate. For mastering advanced magic and getting accepted to the army…you've made me proud, Naomi."

Iruka winced as Naomi shifted forward, pulling him into a tight hug. "Thank you." She whispered into his ear. "Thank you so much."

Iruka remained silent, holding her close until she pulled away. "Keep the pauldrons." He told her. "Keep them and remember today and what you accomplished."

"I'll never forget it." She promised him. Iruka believed it.


	3. Seven

The rainstorms passed, and the sun shone brightly on Naomi as she made her way to the easternmost part of the city, where the army's training grounds awaited her. It was initiation day, the day she would take the oath as a future soldier of the city and begin her formal instruction on magic and defense. Excitement didn't cover it. Naomi had been waiting for this day to arrive ever since she had first learned about the army.

The main center of the training grounds was an open field, meant for large gatherings and public addressing to the army whenever the Commander felt the need. Around the center, forming a circle, were thirteen small grounds, fully forested and specifically roped off for squire training. Magic mishaps were common on these grounds; even Naomi hadn't been dumb enough to trespass when there were squads inside them. It was a place of learning, safe and warded so that no catastrophe would reach the rest of the city.

Already the main center had begun to fill. Naomi recognized many of them from her old learning classes, boys and girls alike that had been born with magical talent. A good bunch of them were from prominent magical families; apparently she'd been born into a good year. As she lingered just outside the crowd, Naomi tried to remember their names.

The first one to come to her mind was another girl, Sakura. She was a loud-mouthed child, always speaking her mind and projecting her beliefs onto others. Naomi had stayed clear of her once she'd realized this; the girl was much too snobbish for her like anyway, and like all of the other children her age, Sakura had always looked upon her with disdain. A 'popular' child, the term was. Adults had admired her enthusiasm all her life. She was intelligent, too, something that rubbed Naomi the wrong way as well. When Naomi had put time into her studies, Sakura had been the only one to consistently outdo her on tests.

A rival? No. That would require respect. Competition? Originally she had been, and at times Naomi had often wished she _was_ more like the girl. If she was pretty and boisterous, perhaps she would have been liked better.

_No, remember…the dragon._

The real reason for her isolation, Naomi had to remember that now. Iruka had told her over the past month to try not holding grudges against these children. They had picked up prejudice from their parents, who hated the dragon inside of her. They didn't know her struggles, nor her pain. They were ignorant…and her challenge, Iruka had said, was to enlighten them about the real her. It was a challenge Naomi had promised him she'd undertake, and now was as good a time as any to start making progress.

She walked up to Sakura and the group of girls listening to her. She put on her best smile and said nothing, hoping perhaps to integrate with the group without making a fuss. This, however, proved an impossibility.

"What are you doing here, Naomi?" Sakura's voice held a trademark sneer, and she gave a casual flip of her bright pink hair. "This meeting is for accepted squires _only_, not for ditchers."

"I did get accepted." Naomi replied, pointing towards her shoulders. "Don't you see my pauldrons?"

"Bullshit, there's no way you got accepted." One of the other girls spoke up, a blonde-haired girl whose name escaped Naomi. Was it Ina? No...Ino, that had to be it. "Slackers don't get to be squires."

"I'm not a slacker. I've already learned a spell, as a matter of fact." Naomi put on her smuggest grin. It was true, she _had_ learned a spell. A powerful one, Iruka had told her. "While you guys were reading about wars, I was training."

"No way that you-" Sakura spoke, but cut herself off as she noticed something behind Naomi. "Look, there he is!" Her voice fell to a whisper, and the group of girls giggled in unison. Naomi turned to get a glimpse, and she let out a groan as she realized.

Sasuke Uchiha. Naomi had heard from others that he was the last of the noble Uchiha family, and he'd always seemed to carry some sort of chip on his shoulder. Even now as he entered the main grounds he didn't look anyone in the eye; he was direct and forward, here with purpose…somewhat terrifying when Naomi put her finger on it. Many years ago, when she'd first heard of his orphaning, she'd tried to befriend the boy, but he'd looked away like all the rest. Secretly, Naomi hated him more for it. The one person whom she'd thought could understand…

"He's so _dreamy_!" Sakura declared, to the agreement of her friends. "Tall, dark, and handsome does not even begin to cover. I hope we're put on the same squad."

"I want to be on a squad with Sasuke!" Iris turned to argue, and the conversation turned into a squabble, Naomi forgotten. Sasuke, of course, wouldn't pay any of the group the time of day, but that didn't stop them from fawning over him like the lovesick teenagers they were. Naomi stuck her tongue out at the idea. She'd never found the prospect of pining after someone appealing. She looked around for someone else to talk to, someone who wouldn't be snobbish or boy-crazy…

There was a girl standing off to the side, by a small tree. With her mousey frame and short black hair she looked almost too timid to be a soldier, but on her necklace was the symbol of the village army, the leaf, and Naomi knew she had to be a new recruit as well. She made her way over to the girl, whistling a small tune as she did. She gave a small wave as she got close.

"Hullo there. Nice day, huh?"

The girl immediately looked away, struggling to get a simple word out. "H-hi."

"I don't remember you from classes. I'm Naomi." She held out her hand to the girl, but the girl was shaking too much to take it. Definitely a shy thing. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come over…

"Hinata." The girl finally spoke up, her voice slightly more confident than before. "My name's Hinata…I sat in the back…"

"So you were in my class! Boring lectures lately, huh. It's going to be way more entertaining doing real work now, don't you think."

Hinata gave Naomi a look that conveyed pure and utter terror. Clearly she didn't want to be here, but it also seemed as though she had no choice. Naomi felt for the girl, and decided perhaps she would be a better start to Iruka's challenge than snobby Sakura.

"It's really not that bad, you know! We're in a pretty peaceful time at the moment, haven't had a bad attack on the city in years. I bet you'll mostly be doing guard work and city jobs, nothing too dangerous."

Hinata's expression softened, and Naomi couldn't help but smile. She'd done good! This was social interaction that didn't involve the other party angry at her for some reason or another. It was kind of nice. She wondered if she could keep up the stroke of social fortune.

Naomi made to speak up again, but was cut off by the sound of a horn being blown. The Commander was due to address them. "Time to line up!" She told Hinata. "Just keep your chin up and take deep breaths, we've got this! You'll be living the soldier life in no time."

She gave Hinata another wave as she raced off to join the main group. As she left, Naomi could have sworn she saw Hinata smiling.

* * *

"Right hand on your heart! Stand at attention!" The Commander's voice rang out over the new recruits, who'd lined up in neat rows. Naomi had been placed at the back, the last one accepted into the ranks out of all of them. Though she had to squint to see the Commander, she had a good view of the rest of her peers. Some looked as nervous as she was…and then there were others, the prodigies, probably been training for this moment all their lives. Even though Naomi knew she was meant to be here, she couldn't suppress a few shakes. This was a potentially life defining moment. The moment she would be put onto her first squad.

Getting accepted into the army was only the first step to becoming a soldier. Each recruited squire was put into a group of three, under the supervision of a senior Captain or Knight, in order to train and learn how to work as unit. Armies, the Commander stressed, were a team effort, with every person having a place in the whole. Those who did not adapt and work well in their squad were sent away, never advancing to the rank of soldier. Who Naomi was partnered with could help or hinder her progress, and _that_ thought was what kept her shaking. Most of the squires here weren't fond of her. It would definitely take some work, and, as Iruka had told her, some possible holding back her ego and sucking up to those she wasn't fond of either.

The Commander pulled out a scroll and began to assign the teams. A lump seemed to form in the back of Naomi's throat and she could feel her posture slacking. Thankfully, it wasn't long before her name was called.

"Squad Seven, under Sir Kakashi. Step forward. Naomi Uzumaki."

Naomi forced herself to walk to the front and stand at attention. Of _course_ her name would be called first…

"Sakura Haruno." Naomi let out a soft groan as the pink haired girl stepped forward. The sneer on her face was evident; this was a bad sign.

"Finally, Sasuke Uchiha."

The sneer left Sakura's face, but Naomi's groans only grew louder. The two people she was _least_ likely to get along with. Was the Commander trying to fail her? This was absolutely ridiculous; there was no way she could pull this off. No way in hell.

"Report to Sir Kakashi in Training Ground Seven. Dismissed." On cue, the three gave another salute, and then the walk began.

It wasn't silent, which Naomi supposed she was grateful for. Sakura immediately began prattling on in Sasuke's direction. Oh what an _excellent_ team they were going to be, they were going to work _so_ well together.

Sure, _they_ probably would, with Naomi on the sidelines. She hadn't realized it, but the soft groan was still escaping her throat. She quieted herself as they walked; she had to at least make a good impression on their new supervisor. Sir Kakashi? She could have sworn she'd heard the name before, perhaps Iruka had mentioned it once or twice. Whoever the Knight was, they'd hopefully get the group in shape. Naomi didn't see any other option.

It didn't take long to find the man. He was waiting at the gate to the grounds, a single eye examining them as they approached. Naomi wanted to ask about the past, but something told her that wouldn't lead to a pleasant conversation.

"So you're squad seven." Kakashi's voice was pleasant enough, and Naomi felt slightly more at ease as he spoke. "Let's sit down and get to know each other, shall we? A team functions better when they're aware of each other." There were no chairs, so Naomi plopped herself down on a stump and put on her best 'happy' face. Sakura and Sasuke sat nearby, and Kakashi spoke up again. "Tell us about yourselves. Likes, dislikes, dreams, ambitions, hobbies…give us the works."

"Maybe you could start, Sir Kakashi?" Sakura spoke up, already having gone into 'teacher's pet' mode. "Show us how much we should say!"

"Hmm, I suppose that would be a good idea." Kakashi leaned back against the gate, thinking for a moment. "Well, I don't really like or dislike anything. Not really big on dreams…guess I never was that ambitious. Hobbies, well, I don't do much." The man gave a smile, gesturing towards Naomi. "Your turn."

"You didn't tell us anything at all!" Naomi protested. Kakashi kept up the smile, his voice still just as pleasant.

"Your turn."

"Fine." Naomi leaned forward, pouting slightly. She'd wanted to know more, but… "I like food and training and climbing trees. I dislike burnt food and rude people." As she continued, a smile grew on her face. "My dream is to become a strong soldier and one day become Lord and Commander. Then people will have to respect me. I won't be looked over again." She paused for a moment, sighing. "Hobbies…I like playing pranks. Bigger the better."

For a moment Naomi glanced over at Sakura and Sasuke. Sakura had a strange look on her face, was it pity?

"Next, Ms. Haruno."

"Oh!" Sakura's face snapped back into its original, pleasing shape. "Right! I like, well, um…" Her face turned as pink as her hair, and she glanced at Sasuke. "Well, you know…reading, I guess. I don't like _slackers_." She turned her gaze to Naomi, who slunk back slightly on her stump. "My dream is…" She paused again, turning even pinker. "Well, and maybe…maybe being a good soldier. Hobbies, well, I like reading. And…reading." A giggle made itself heard, and Naomi struggled to suppress another groan. That girl had only one thing on her mind and that was Sasuke. Who was next, of course. Naomi paid special attention. What would the class recluse have to say about his hopes and dreams?

"I don't have a lot of likes, and I dislike a lot of things. I don't really have a dream, per say…but definitely an ambition." Sasuke's eyes seemed to darken, and Naomi remembered the terror she'd felt about him earlier. It seemed even more prominent now. "I want to restore my family, and I want to kill a certain man."

There was silence for a moment as the group processed his statement. Naomi, however, couldn't hold herself back for long. "I really don't think you were ominous enough, you should try harder."

"_Naomi_." Sakura protested, but Naomi drowned her out with her own chuckles.

"Come on, man, give us a smile at least. Like this!" Naomi put on her biggest grin, but Sasuke just turned away.

"Now, now." Kakashi interjected, moving away from the gate. "That's enough teasing. You three have a task to complete today. A special training exercise."

"Awesome!" Naomi leapt up from her stump. "First training!"

"It involves a very specific task." Kakashi reached into one of the pouches around his waist and drew forth two small bells, hanging on strings. "You see both of these bells here? I'll be keeping them on my belt." He hung them where he stated, the two bells jingling as they settled. "Your task is to retrieve the bells from me, using any means necessary. You've all brought weapons with you today, you'll be allowed to use them." Naomi looked over at her teammates. Sakura had a large warhammer strapped to her back, and Sasuke was carrying some sort of sword…she just had knives. Well, she had to make the best of it.

"So we get the bells from you and that's the end of the training?" Sakura questioned, also looking pleased. "That doesn't seem too bad, we'll probably learn a lot from you."

"Flattering, but there's a catch." The pleasant smile still hadn't left Kakashi's face, and Naomi felt her stomach fall as the words left his mouth. "Two bells…and you can only claim one bell for yourself. Two bells, only two people get a bell. The person who doesn't get a bell fails the training exercise."

"And what happens if they fail the exercise?" Naomi asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"They fail their overall training as a squire and get sent home immediately."

The words sunk in, and anger began to creep into Naomi's mind. "That's not fair at all! It's only the first day, why is our future banked on one training exercise?"

"Life's not fair." Kakashi replied. "And you don't get to make the rules. Either grab yourself a bell by the time the sun's completely set, or your time in the army has done." He suddenly moved into a backflip, hurling himself over the gate. "I warn you though, I've got a good eye. It won't be easy to get bells from me."

"The hell it won't!" Naomi couldn't stop herself from lunging forward, leaping over the gate to reach for the man's belt. By the time she got there however, the man was gone, having disappeared into the forest beyond the gate. He was fast…too fast. It was a wonder they hadn't sent a man like _him_ to catch her whenever she'd pulled her pranks. He was a Knight, however, the highest rank a soldier could receive besides Commander. He'd probably had better things to do.

Of course, that didn't solve the problem of what to do _now_. Sakura and Sasuke were both already climbing through the gate, and now Naomi was in direct competition with the both of them. Without giving it more thought, she scrambled for the nearest tree, climbing up it with all the speed she could muster. Getting a high ground would be imperative for spotting where Kakashi had went, though he'd likely climbed up a tree himself to make it harder to nab the bells. At the very least, Naomi'd had lots of practice in this skill. Sasuke and Sakura wouldn't outperform her.

She moved forward, walking across the thick branches before finally looking back behind her. Sasuke was gone, but Sakura…

The girl was clinging to a lower branch, pulling upwards with what strength she could muster. Naomi could tell she'd never climbed trees before. (A tragedy, really, they _were_ a forest nation.) Sakura would never make it up on her own, and if Kakashi was in a tree, well…she'd likely be screwed. Naomi chuckled for a moment, thinking back to the times Sakura had called her a slacker. She'd certainly showed _her_, now she would get a bell and Sakura would get sent home. It was perfect, excellent.

And Naomi was already starting to feel guilt.

They were supposed to be a _team_, weren't they? Kakashi had already shoved a wedge right in the middle of them, it wasn't fair. How were they supposed to learn to work together if Kakashi was putting them in competition with each other? A person who didn't get a bell would be sent home, which meant they'd never get a chance to join the army, right?

Naomi frowned. It wasn't right at all, but it was the card she'd been dealt. What would Iruka want her to do?

_Show them your true self…_

Naomi had always been a troublemaker, sure. And perhaps she was selfish, but she also didn't want to see her new teammates fail either, no matter how much they annoyed her. What was the worst thing that could happen? If the three of them worked together and got the two bells, they'd fight over who got it and one of them would go home. Of the three of them, only one had ever been faced with failure to become a soldier before, and that was Naomi. She'd faced that option…and in facing that, she'd realized that there had been other options, other choices, even surprise options that she'd never thought would come up. She could face failure and succeed. She'd done it before, and damn it all if she wouldn't do it again.

Today, following Iruka's words and the guilt still heavy in her chest, she would choose a better path.

She walked back across the branches, towards the tree Sakura was trying to climb. She knelt down, holding out her hand. "Come on, I'll help you up."

"We're supposed to be competing, idiot." Sakura huffed angrily. "Don't help me, I can do it on my own."

"We're _supposed_ to be a team, so I'm gonna be a part of a team. Take my hand, Sakura. If we work together, I'll let you and Sasuke have the bells."

"You'll fail!" Sakura protested. "You'll never get to be a soldier again."

"I'll find a way. Failure doesn't scare me. More options will always come up, and if I fail because I helped you out I don't think that's the worst kind of failure I could suffer. Come _on_, Sakura, just accept my help. You can't take on a Knight by yourself and win."

Sakura was silent for a moment, contemplative, but eventually she shifted and reached out her free hand to Naomi. Naomi grabbed hold of it and pulled, easily lifting the girl onto the branch. (Were people supposed to be this light? Or perhaps she had the strength of a dragon after all.) Sakura balanced herself on the branch, gripping onto Naomi's shoulder for balance.

"Naomi, I've never climbed trees before."

"Nice to meet you, Captain Obvious, tell me something I didn't know."

"Shut _up_. I'm scared, alright, I've never been up this high." Naomi could feel Sakura's hand shake on her shoulder. She reached up, grabbing Sakura's hand in her own.

"Take small steps then, I've got your hand. Kakashi's likely in a tree too so you'll need to start getting comfortable. It's morning, so we have all day. We'll get you in tree-shape yet." The two began to walk across the long branches, slowly at first, but eventually with confidence. Though Sakura still had a cross look on her face, Naomi couldn't help but smile.

For the first time in her life, she felt needed. For the first time, she felt helpful. A part of something.

If she failed today, it wouldn't even matter at all.


End file.
